Clutch



Oct. 25, 1932. z, BRADFQRD 1,883,872.

CLUTCH' Filed Deo. 16. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 2.5, 1932. z. c. BRADFORD 1,833,372

cwrcn Filed Dec. 16. 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 v 6 Zffff c. 55mm/fa j da am Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ZERBE C. BRADFORD, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO DELCO PRODUCTS CORPORATION, O F DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE CLUTCH Application mea December 1s, 1929. serial No. 414,388.

This invention relates to improvements in centrifugal clutches adapted to connect a driving member with the member to be driven after the driving member has attained a proper speed.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved centrifugal clutch of simple and durable construction, reliable in operation, and which may be produced at a relatively low cost.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the acompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present inven` tion is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an electric motor embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the clutch in driving position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating the vswitching mechanism for the electric motor. i

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view taken along the line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view taken along the line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. v6 is a fragmentary part-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the electric motor comprises a frame member 20 provided with 'end covers 21 and 22 attached thereto in any suitable manner. End cover members 21 and`22 provide suitable bearings for the motor shaft 23. Frame 20 has stator laminations 24 and 25 which carry stator or eld windings 26 and 27 respectively.

Upon the shaft 23 there is provided a bearing sleeve 28. Upon this sleeve is supported a tubular member 30 which in turn supports the rotor or armature 31. In Fig. 1 it will be seen that the sleeve 30 has an annular flange 32 at its one end, the other end of the sleeve being spun over the armature 31 as at 33 whereby said armature is secured upon said sleeve 30. The bearings 28 and 29 are maintained in proper position upon the ,shaft by a collar 34 and a spring clip 35.A Bearings 28 and 29' rotatably support the armature supporting sleeve 30 upon'the shaft 23.

A cup-shaped housing 40 is secured to the flange 32 of the sleeve 30 by screws 4l so that said housing will atl all times rotate with the armature 3l. An end cover 42 is provided for the housing 40 and is ,maintained upon .said housing by the clamping ring 43 fitting into spaced ears 44 provided in the edge of the` housing 40. y

Upon the shaft 23 there is keyed a sleeve 45 having longitudinal channels 46 provided in its outer surface. A disc 47 kis supported upon the channeled sleeve 45, the central aperture of said disc having angular pprtions 48 which ride within the channels 46 of the ,io

sleeve 45 so that said disc 47 is slidable longitudlnally of the sleeve ,45, but must rotate therewith. Disc 47 carries a plurality ofv frictional members 50, made up of any suitable material such as cork, brake lining material` or the like, said members 50 being arranged in acircular row and in spaced relation. A. continuous piece of vfriction material may be secured to the sides of plate 47 instead of the discs 50 as shown. A plate 5l fits loosely about the channeled sleeve 45, said i plate having a pin Y52 secured thereto which extends through a collar 53 supported in the housing 40, through an opening 54 in the armature and extends from the opposite side of the armature as shown in the Figs. 1 and 3. A. collar 55 is secured to the stem 52 anda spring 56 is interposed between saidy collar `55 and the end of the collar 53 carried by the housing 40, this spring urging lthe stem 52 and consequently the plate 51 toward the left throu h which the armatureshaft 23 loosely.

f exten to. va g speeds of `members 90`attached to the housing 40 in any s will be moved likewise so contact ever, when the plate engages Vplate 51. et member the plate 51 as the balls are thrown outwardl member 42 and thus the housing 40,

Vwith the shaft 23 for, as has been vThefi'ame 21 has a screw `61 which hingedly supports one end of the contact operatj Y during the starting operation, at which timeand balls 9 1. t A' ing arm 62, the free end of theV arm carrying Van insulating button 63 engaging the spring contact blade 64.- Spring contact blade 64 is insulatingly supported by ,the lug 65 provided b the end cover member 21, another lade 66 also beingr insulatingly supported by said member. The spring blade 64 is normally adapted to move out of engagement with-the contactblade 66; howthe blocks 7 0 carried by the contact operating arm 62, said plate 60 under the iniiuence of springs '56 will move the arm 62 to engage contact blade 64 so as to maintain said 'blade in contact engagement with the blade 66.

rom the aforegoing it may be seen that normally, that is, w not operating, contact blades 64 and 66 are engaged. y

centrifugal device is adapted to control' the operation of the lclutch and the aforegoing mechanism in response the electric motor. The pocket described switching centri gal mechanism comprises These pocket members act the balls 91 which form the for operating the clutch. The pockets as shown articularly in Figs. 1,6 and 7 Y are made up o sheet metal and comrise walls 92 and 93 rovided with side mem rs 94, the walls and side members all being arranged relatively angularly and thus formsutable manner. as containers for centrifugal means ing tapering or wedge-shaped pockets. The

walls all converge toward the end wall of the housing 40, or, diverge as they approach the The sloping wall 96 of the ball pocktends'to urge the ball 91 toward y dueto centrifugal force, and thus said balls when so moved will en age the plate 51 and by movin it 4toward t e end cover member .42 of the, ousing, the disc carrying plate 47 that the frictional discs 50 thereof will engage said ,end cover its end cover member 42, the disc carrying plate 47, and armature 31 will be operatively connected described,

housing 40 is attached to the armature sup- Y porting sleeve 30, while plate 47 is operatively connected the sleeve45 keyed to the shaft 23.

The movement of the .disc supporting plate 47 and the .plate 51 toward the end cover member 42 of the housing 40 causes stems or rods 52' to be moved toward the right and motor has attained a proper* 64 will be 'permitted thus after the speed, the contact plate to move out of engagement with the cooper; ating contact plate 66 to break the starting `respective ball retainers and the hen ythe electric motor is adapted to `engage circuit, which, as Ihas beenY described, is confand 7.66. Y Y,

From the aforegoing it may be seen that contacts 64 and 66 are Vclosed snugly within their respective ballretainers 90, no rattling of the balls obtains for each pocket, having tapering walls, will self-center the respective balls, causinar them to be held securely in position to avoid rattling during the Y starting operation. During running, these balls are flung outwardly due to centri ugal force, engagingthe membersv of the late 51 with a wedging effect to maintain t e plate 51 in a position inY which the dis 50 are pressed into gripping engagement with the end cover member 42 of the housingt'lO.

0 e Pres- VVhile the form of embodiment entl invention as'herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form,it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows: 1. A device of the character described,

comprising in combination, a driving member; a driven member; a housing attached to the driving member; shiftable means within said housingboperatively connectible with the driven mem er; centrifugal means adapted Vto move vthe shiftable means into grippingY yengagement with said housing; and a wedgeshaped cage rigi.dly secured to a wall of the housing which is'substantially at` right angles to the axis of the driving member, said A cage cooperating with theshiftable means t0 provide a pocketV trifugal means.

2. A device of the character described, comprising in combinat'on, a driving meinber; a driven member; a housing'attached to the driving member; Yshiftable means for supportingthe censaid housing operatively connectible with 'the driven member; centrifugal means adapted to move the shiftable means into gripp engagement directly with-said housing; an

a cage rigidly secured to the housing, saidA cage having angularly arranged walls c0- operating with the shiftable means to provide a wedge-shaped pocket in which the centrifugal means is supported.

3. A device of the character described,'-

comprising in combination, 'a driving mem` ber; a driven member upon which the drivin member is rotatably supported; a cup-sha f'housing attached to the driving member; an

end cover for said-housing; a friction member within said housing, supported upon the l' drivenmemberso as to be movable longitudinally relative thereto but rotatable therewith; a ball movable by centrifugal force, radially relative to the driven member and the friction member to move it into engagement with the housing end cover operatively to connect the drivi and driven members; and a sheet metal b container attached to the housing said container having all of its walls arranged relaof w ich diverge as they approach the kfriction member.

4. A device of the character described, comprising in combination, a driving member; a driven member; a housing attached to the driving member; shitable means within said housing operatively connectible with the driven member; centnfugal means adapted to move the shiftable means into 'ppmg enga ement with said housing; an a sheet meta cage attached to the housing, said cage having one of its sides angularly arranged relative to the housing and shiftable means and cooperating with the latter to provide a f tapering pocket in which the centrifugal means is supported, said angularly arranged side of the ca e urging the centrifugal means toward the iven member in response to -rotation of the housing.

In testimony whereof I hereto ax my signature.

ZERBE C. BRADFORD.

tivel angularl providing a pocket the sides 

